Dr Wendy Bowles
(Practicum Coordinator)
Senior Lecturer
Wendy Bowles
Bio
Wendy Bowles is Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Human Services at Charles Sturt University. Wendy has worked mainly in the disability field since she began practising as a social worker in 1980. In 1988 she began a PhD in the quality of life of young adults with spina bifida and taught in social work at the University of New South Wales. In 1991 she moved to Charles Sturt University and developed her interest in rural welfare and social work. While keeping active in disability issues through consultancies and community work, Wendy’s teaching and research interests cover the broad terrain of social work theory, practice and ethics with a focus on field education. She also enjoys supervising research students.
Wendy enjoys writing and researching with her colleagues. Two books include Ethical Practice in Social Work, written with Mike Collingridge, Steve Curry and Bruce Valentine, and with Margaret Alston, Research for Social Workers – an introduction to methods. Wendy is also keen to write about teaching social work, particularly field education, as well as rural issues. She chairs her local Access Committee and is a member of management committees of IDEAS and the local Disability Advisory Group. Wendy is currently a member of the Academic Board of Relationships Australia and has served a full term as member of the National Ethics Committee of the Australian Association of Social Workers.
She lives on a farm 150 kms from Wagga and experiences first hand the issues associated with rurality, distance learning and teaching.
Teaching
- Social work theory and practice
- Ethics
- Field education (practicum)
- Disability studies
Research
- Rural and regional welfare issues, including those experienced by diverse groups such as those with disabilities or from CALD backgrounds
- Social work field education
- Ethics
Recent publications
Bowles, W., Collingridge, M., Curry, S. and Valentine B., (2006). Ethical Practice in Social Work, an applied approach Allen and Unwin, Crows Nest. Open University Press, McGraw-Hill Education, England.
Bowles, W., Murrell-Orgill K., 2006. ‘The Way Forward: Concluding the Conference’ in AW Anscombe, K Murrell-Orgill, M. Short., Social Work: Engaging Indigenous Communities, Charles Sturt University/Centrelink, Wagga Wagga, pp.129-138.
Bowles, W.2005, ‘Social Work and People with Disabilities’ in M. Alston and J. Mc Kinnon (eds) Social Work Fields of Practice 2 nd edn, Oxford University Press, Victoria.
Barton, H., Bell, K., & Bowles, W. 2005. ‘Help or Hindrance? Outcomes of social work student placements’. Australian Social Work vol. 58, no. 3, pp.301-312.
Bowles, W., & Duncombe, R. 2005. ‘A Satellite Model for Rural and Remote Education’. Rural Society. vol 15, no. 3, pp. 284-295.
Bowles, W., 2005, ‘Transforming Private Troubles in Public Policy: Enhancing participation in Centrelink’ in M.Pawar (ed) Capacity Building for Participation, CRSR/ILWS, CSU, Wagga Wagga NSW.
Bowles, W. 2004. ‘Inequality and having spina bifida – some findings for women and men in New South Wales’. In E. Moore (Ed) WOW Wellbeing of Women Conference. Published for Community of Scholars, Gender, Women and Social Policy, CSU.
Alston, M. and Bowles, W. 2003, Research for Social Workers – an introduction to methods, 2 nd edn, Allen and Unwin, Crows Nest. Routledge, London and New York
Collingridge, M., Miller, S and Bowles, W. 2001. ‘Privacy and Confidentiality in Social Work’, Australian Social Work, Vol 54, No2, pp.3 – 13.
Membership of professional associations and groups
- Key Researcher, Centre for Rural Social Research
- Member, Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics
- Convenor, Professional Experience Network (PEN) and organizing group
- Member, PEN Research Working Party
- Member, RAWP (Risk and Administrative Working Party) of PEN
- Member, DET Assessment Panel, NSW Vice-Chancellor’s Specialist Nominee
- Member, Combined Universities’ Field Education Group (CUFEG)
- Member, Department of Community Services Field Education Group
- Chair, Access Sub-Committee, Bland Shire Council
- Member, Disability Advisory Group, Bland Shire
- Member, Management Committee, IDEAS Inc.
- Member, Academic Board, Relationships Australia
